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#102338 - 08/11/07 05:10 PM Instant ice/heat packs
Themalemutekid Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 11/17/06
Posts: 351
Loc: New Jersey
Has anyone else here ever thought of using these things for survival? A typical cold pack contains the ionic compound ammonium nitrate sale which reacts with water. If you are stranded in a hot & dry place (like last nights Surviorman), an instant cold pack can come in handy. It can cool you off, and in a pinch you can drink the water inside the pouch(before crushing the dry stuff into it). Any thoughts on these things?
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....he felt the prompting of his heritage, the desire to possess, the wild danger-love, the thrill of battle, the power to conquer or to die. Jack London

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#102342 - 08/11/07 05:46 PM Re: Instant ice/heat packs [Re: Themalemutekid]
Misanthrope Offline
Member

Registered: 09/08/05
Posts: 156
Loc: Chicago burbs
I carry a couple in the large FAK (home, car camping, fishing trips). Have worked well for burns and sprains. Over the years my FAK seems to have evolved to focus mainly on burns, cuts and guts. (City boys playing with fire and sharp instruments.) I've always thought the instant ice packs took up too much room for a BOB or woods bag.

M
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#102348 - 08/11/07 08:51 PM Re: Instant ice/heat packs [Re: Misanthrope]
JRR Offline
Newbie

Registered: 08/28/06
Posts: 37
I carry these sometimes when hiking in very hot weather. Throw one in a bucket of water and you have a nice cold drink on those 100 degree Alabama summer camping trips.

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#102355 - 08/12/07 01:26 AM Re: Instant ice/heat packs [Re: JRR]
Rio Offline
Member

Registered: 11/26/06
Posts: 112
Loc: Pacific North West
I used them quite a bit at the pool I used to lifeguard at, and I was never really that impressed with them. They worked, but they didn't stay cold for very long, and we'd end up using a few of them to treat a single injury. Who knows, maybe we just had the cheap ones?

Personally, I don't think they are worth their space or weight in a back pack. I would rather carry an extra water bottle. You could use a cold pack to cool off, but I don't think it would last long enough to be worth carrying. If it's a really hot day out, then as JRR mentioned, they may have some value as a drink cooler. However, in a car or home kit (where space and weight aren't as big of an issue), they are better than nothing and probably worth having around.

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#102356 - 08/12/07 01:51 AM Re: Instant ice/heat packs [Re: Themalemutekid]
philip Offline
Addict

Registered: 09/19/05
Posts: 639
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area
I can't imagine drinking the water in them, but that's just my hesitation.

I always carry a few when car camping. I've used them at Burning Man on a couple of people who sprained something - each worked long enough for the EMTs to arrive and haul the wounded off to better treatment. I'm hoping it kept swelling down.

I've used heat packs to keep warm at some events where it was uncomfortably cool but not exactly cold (San Francisco) and for muscle strain on myself.

I've got both heat and cold packs here at home, and that's likely where my survival situation will occur, due to earthquake. So if I can get to them, I'll have them; but I'm not carrying them around in evacuation kits. I think I'll put some in my survival van, though, now that you've reminded me.


-----
Euripides? Eumenides.

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#102358 - 08/12/07 02:16 AM Re: Instant ice/heat packs [Re: philip]
bat69 Offline
Journeyman

Registered: 02/08/04
Posts: 78
Loc: Fl, USA
Burning man...

Now thats a place i've Always wanted to spend a week at..

Someday..
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victory begins with a mindset...

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#102369 - 08/12/07 12:59 PM Re: Instant ice/heat packs [Re: Themalemutekid]
MartinFocazio Offline

Pooh-Bah

Registered: 01/21/03
Posts: 2203
Loc: Bucks County PA
On average, I use an instant cold-pack five times a month. I have an 8 year old boy, and he has a bunch of 8 year old friends. Put them together and you have plenty of ice-packs used. I keep a bunch in my Jeep too, for the usual sprains and bumps of life.
I carry a tiny cooler in the jeep as well, on occasion I pick something up that I'd like to keep cool and I don't have any ice, so I pop a large pack and throw it in there and it helps.
I keep a small one in my FAK, this gets used often enough. That leads to the inevitable FAK discussion, I'll just leave it at my kids are limited to mostly ways to stop the bleeding, sooth the bruise and burn, and that's about it. I have a very minimal pharmacy (Tylenol, immodium) and minimal tools (Medic Shears, BP Cuff and Stethoscope, Flashlight, Sam SPlint, Tweezers & Forceps). It's mostly about keeping things from getting worse, not making things better.

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#102370 - 08/12/07 01:31 PM Re: Instant ice/heat packs [Re: MartinFocazio]
teacher Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 12/14/05
Posts: 988
I pack several instant heat packs in my winter car kits -- a cheap, fast way to warm up.

Teacher

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#102374 - 08/12/07 03:48 PM Re: Instant ice/heat packs [Re: Themalemutekid]
Blast Offline
INTERCEPTOR
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 07/15/02
Posts: 3760
Loc: TX
I've always relied on them as a ready source of ammonium nitrate. Using that to cool stuff seems such a waste...

-Blast, still on the road.
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#102380 - 08/12/07 07:44 PM Re: Instant ice/heat packs [Re: Blast]
Themalemutekid Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 11/17/06
Posts: 351
Loc: New Jersey
I sure wouldn't wanna get on your bad side Blast.... wink
_________________________
....he felt the prompting of his heritage, the desire to possess, the wild danger-love, the thrill of battle, the power to conquer or to die. Jack London

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